SAN BENITO — It was a tale of two halves for the Palo Alto High football team Friday night.

In the first half the Vikings were having long drives and milking the clock.

In the second half not so much.

After trailing by seven, San Benito scored the next 42 points as the host Haybalers defeated visiting Palo Alto 42-14 in Hollister.

“We just didn’t do the little things we needed to do to win this game,” Palo Alto coach Danny Sullivan said. “They are a good football team, they are well coached but don’t get me wrong that score doesn’t show how close this game was.”

Palo Alto raced out to a 7-0 lead over San Benito courtesy of a 13-play 59-yard drive that was capped by a four-yard touchdown pass from running back Paul Jackson III to Jamie Cullen.

The Vikings took advantage of a Balers muffed punt that gave them good field position.

“The first half was battling back and forth,” Sullivan said. “We let the third quarter get the most of us.”

Palo Alto went into the half trailing only 14-7 before the wheels fell off in the third quarter.

The second half couldn’t have started any worse for the Vikings as Adam Mendoza returned the second half opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown.

Things only got worse for Paly as it would fumble the ball away on its ensuing offensive drive and the Balers, specifically senior running Hunter Nye, took great advantage.

Nye took his first handoff of the second half to pay dirt as the 5-foot-10 190 pound back went 27 yards.

“My offensive line was blocking great for me,” Nye said. “We are executing plays. They are executing their blocks.”

Nye only got one more carry in the game and he took great advantage racing 48 yards for another touchdown.

“We didn’t do a good enough job getting these guys ready and that falls on me,” Sullivan said. “The sun comes up tomorrow and we’ll watch film and learn from our mistakes.”

Nye finished with 125 yards and three touchdowns on only 10 carries for San Benito.